Meera Bai Temple

The Meera Bai Temple stands inside Chittorgarh Fort and honours Meera Bai, the 16th-century Rajput princess, mystic and poet whose songs to Krishna made her a central figure of the Bhakti movement. Built in that century in the Indo-Aryan style, it rests on a raised plinth reached by a few steps, with plain lines and an image of Krishna in the sanctum.

Meera married Prince Bhoj Raj of Mewar but lost both husband and father-in-law in wars of the period. Tradition says her in-laws tried to kill her, and that Krishna turned a snake sent against her into his own image and made a cup of poison harmless. She gave up royal life and composed bhajans that are still sung. Carvings on the outer walls show mythological scenes and episodes from her life, and near the entrance a figure of five bodies sharing one head is read as a symbol of human brotherhood. Janmashtami, Holi, Diwali and the Meera Mahotsav draw large crowds.